


toil and trouble

by yuchi



Category: Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Christmas Fluff, M/M, i'm sorry this is horrifically late, slight angst? idk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-01-07
Packaged: 2019-10-06 03:43:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17337953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yuchi/pseuds/yuchi
Summary: Christmas has always been Seongwoo's favorite holiday; what's not to love? He can't think of anything better than holing up in his family's manor with a fire crackling in their fireplace, exchanging presents under the Christmas tree, singing Christmas carols, and -- arguably the best part of the holidays -- eating pot roast.This year, though, this year is a little more special than the last, because he has a little something extra to look forward to: Seongwoo's parents have invited his boyfriend (his boyfriend!) to the manor for Christmas.





	toil and trouble

**Author's Note:**

> a very belated christmas to you all! i was griping about the lack of hogwarts ongwink fic during the christmas season, so why not kill two birds with one stone? 
> 
> i sorely miscalculated how long it'd take to finish this -- i was hoping for at least until the twelve days of christmas were over, so i could have an excuse -- but what with christmas dinners and new years eve feasts to help with, i only had the time to finish this thing now! finally, here it is. in all its rushed, weirdly paced, unbetaed glory.
> 
> i hope you have fun!

The morning of December 1st, Gryffindor Tower is awoken by a scream of joy.

" _It's Christmas!_ " Seongwoo Ong yells into the frigid air the moment his Muggle alarm clock strikes seven. "Daniel, wake up, it's Christmas!"

Seongwoo's enthusiasm is met with a groan from his best friend and roommate, who just rolls over to smash a pillow over his head. "Please, it's literally fuck o'clock," Daniel moans. "Circe's tits, every fucking year..."

Unfazed by Daniel's lack of Christmas spirit, Seongwoo bounds out of bed and, making a hasty grab for his wand on the bedside table, begins suspending wreaths and baubles into the air that have been waiting in a cardboard box since last evening.

Christmas has always been Seongwoo's favorite holiday; what's not to love? He can't think of anything better than holing up in his family's manor with a fire crackling in their fireplace, exchanging presents under the Christmas tree, singing Christmas carols, and -- arguably the best part of the holidays -- eating pot roast.

This year, though, this year is a little more special than the last, because he has a little something extra to look forward to: Seongwoo's parents have invited his boyfriend (his _boyfriend_!) to the manor for Christmas.  

It came as a shock to the whole school that resident Gryffindor prankster Seongwoo Ong was able to woo quiet Slytherin Jihoon Park. Truth be told, Seongwoo can't believe it, either. Jihoon had seemed a world away: one year below him and his friends, he was busy with OWLs consuming his free time and with Quidditch practice for whatever else was left. Add that to the fact that there were boys and girls alike that were also vying for Jihoon's attention, Seongwoo's task of getting Jihoon to look his way and see his debonair good looks and mostly salvageable personality was made Herculean.

Luckily he had a good insider source (read: a Gryffindor named Woojin who was not above being bribed for information on his friend) who informed Seongwoo in confidence that Jihoon was, against all odds, actually interested in him as well.

Four disastrous dates, two semesters, and one summer later, here they are, spending Christmas break together. Jihoon's parents had been reluctant to let him part with them for the holidays, but due to Jihoon's Veela mother convincing her Muggle husband to say yes and a box of excellent Christmas-themed tea biscuits courtesy of the Ong estate, Jihoon was finally in the all-clear, and Seongwoo hasn't been more excited in his life.

He's been thinking of a present for Jihoon since early September; it's already wrapped in decorative parchment and stuffed somewhere in the recesses of his magically expanded trunk. Merlin, Seongwoo hopes Jihoon likes it. It's not that the younger boy was hard to please, it's just that Seongwoo wants their first Christmas to be special. He wants to do it right.

His morning musings are interrupted by the sound of sleepy grumbling boy. Daniel peeks an eye out from beneath his covers. "Please tell me you did not put mistletoe in here."

Seongwoo sniffs. "I am a taken man, thank you very much. This is a very tasteful concoction of holiday appropriate fauna not meant for kissing such as holly, pine, and... whatever else people hang up on Christmas."

Daniel simply rolls his eyes and slides out of bed, heading straight for their bathroom. "Just finish by the time I'm out of the shower, I don't want to miss breakfast waffles."

When Seongwoo and Daniel head down to the Great Hall for breakfast, they find the first years gasping in wonder at the easily twenty-foot tall pine tree beside the professors' table. Enchanted snowflakes are falling from the ceiling, but they never seem to get into the food; Peeves is sitting on one of the banisters, singing Christmas carols at the top of his lungs, and some students are humming along.

Seongwoo grins at his fellow Gryffindors as he and Daniel seat themselves at their table. "Fine morning, boys."

"Morning to you too, mate," Sungwoon replies, not looking up from his copy of The Daily Prophet. "What's a nine-letter kind of candy?"

"Candy cane," Jisung answers immediately. "You should know by now that every answer in the crossword is holiday-themed by the time December starts. Seongwoo, bacon and eggs are to your right. Daniel, here are your waffles."

"Thanks, mum," Seongwoo and Daniel echo simultaneously. "Have any of you seen Jihoon, by the way?" Seongwoo adds, to which all three boys roll their eyes. "What? Can a bloke not miss his boyfriend?"

"He can, but not literally every second of the day," Daniel snorts. "That Veela magic is really something else."

"Sorry, Seongwoo," Jisung finally says. "He wasn't here when we arrived for breakfast. Maybe he left to study."

Seongwoo pouts. "We were supposed to go over our plans for the hols, my parents have been bothering me about it nonstop."

"He must be swamped with homework," Sungwoon says wisely, penciling in another answer. "Most successful Celestina Warbeck Christmas release?"

"'Holiday Hobgoblin'," Seongwoo answers. "I guess I'll just have to talk to Jihoon later, then."

Seongwoo doesn't actually see his boyfriend until much later, during his free period in the middle of the afternoon. He spots Jihoon by the courtyard, handling a large box of pumpkin pasties with care. A smile stretches across Seongwoo's lips and he all but skips along the corridor to match his pace with Jihoon's.

"Hi, babe," Seongwoo greets cheerfully.

" _Excuse_ me?" Jihoon looks and sounds absolutely affronted -- to which Seongwoo frowns, more than a little hurt by the younger's sudden standoffish behavior.

"Um, okay," Seongwoo replies haltingly. "No need to be prickly, Jihoon."

Jihoon's eyes soften. "Sorry, Seongwoo," he says apologetically. "I'm just in a hurry -- have you seen Jinyoung?"

Seongwoo raises his brow at the mention of Jihoon's best friend. If anything, Jihoon should know where his fellow Slytherin is. "No, why?"

"I thought I'd surprise him with this box of pumpkin pasties!" Jihoon holds up the said box with a smile.

Seongwoo's frown grows deeper. Jihoon looks starry-eyed, affection practically bleeding out of his eyes, too much to be considered purely platonic regard. "That's awfully sweet of you."

"I know!" Jihoon agrees, entirely oblivious to the dark cloud forming over Seongwoo's head. "I thought I'd do something special, you know, since it's almost Christmas," he adds, and the storm cloud morphs into a maelstrom.

"Well, I'll catch you later," Jihoon says before Seongwoo can respond. "These pasties won't deliver themselves."

Seongwoo can only watch as Jihoon scurries away.

* * *

Seongwoo's grown used to Jihoon just being... around. Sure, they never saw each other in class, but they'd found ways to circumvent that unfortunate aspect of their relationship. They would study together at times, Seongwoo helping Jihoon with Potions and Jihoon helping Seongwoo with Charms and Transfiguration. There were weekly dates either spent snogging at the Hog's Head or just walking by the Great Lake if they were feeling particularly lazy.

There were also little things like the glances they'd send each other across the Great Hall. Seongwoo would pull funny faces and Jihoon would roll his eyes; even better were the gentle smiles they would share during quiet moments, like they both had a precious secret.

For the past two days it's been nothing like that at all. It's like someone's thrown an Invisibility Cloak over Seongwoo -- he basically doesn't exist to the younger boy, all of Jihoon's attention being taken up by none other than Jinyoung Bae. From sun up to sundown, Seongwoo doesn't see Jihoon with anyone else save for some of his other Slytherin classmates and the occasional kid that he tutors.

The freed up time he'd usually spend with Jihoon is either spent rationalizing the younger's sudden need to regale Jinyoung with gifts or trying to catch Jihoon's attention. Seongwoo fails miserably at both tasks: by the time Wednesday rolls around, he still can't explain why Jihoon had bought that accursed box of pumpkin pasties, and he hasn't had the chance to talk to the younger, either, by virtue of his sticking to Jinyoung Bae like a Muggle magnet.

Dinner is an abysmal affair. Not even the sight of singing frogs can lift Seongwoo's spirits. He's acutely aware that he's been poking at his mashed potatoes for five minutes and that his friends are staring at him, but he can't be bothered to care.

Jisung finally speaks up. "Are the potatoes not mashed enough, Seongwoo?" he says carefully.

Seongwoo sighs. "Just not hungry." He sneaks a look over at the Slytherin table, where Jihoon is laughing brightly at something Jinyoung said. Jinyoung is smiling back at him with barely concealed affection. "Hey, do you guys think Jihoon is ignoring me?"

The statement is predictably met with three pairs of eyes rolling. Seongwoo frowns. "I hope you all catch a glimpse of your empty skulls," he grumbles. "I'm serious! It's like I don't exist. It's not like him at all to ignore me, especially since we have plans."

"Do you think you could have done anything wrong?" Daniel questions, head tilted to the side like an overgrown puppy.

"I don't think so," Seongwoo says. "I did charm his bathroom mirror to insult him, but he found it more funny than annoying."

Seongwoo thinks back to the past week. Jihoon accosting him at breakfast, going on about his suddenly surly bathroom mirror. Seongwoo very briefly fearing for his life, because Jihoon was terrifying if he wanted to be, and feeling a simultaneous cold wash of relief and betrayal when Jihoon grinned widely, sing-songing "I'm kidding!" right in his face. "An eye for an eye," he continued, and he had tiptoed to kiss Seongwoo's cheek.

How Seongwoo missed those kisses. Wetness comes unbidden to his eyes.

"Mate, you are _not_ crying because of this," Sungwoon exclaims.

"And what if I am?" Seongwoo declares tearfully. "It's Christmas and my boyfriend hates me! And I don't even know why!" A few younger Gryffindors jump at his outburst but his answering glare is enough for them to look away. Seongwoo quite savagely spears a sausage, subjecting it to its cruel death. "It's that damn Jinyoung Bae."

"Jinyoung Bae?" Jisung prods.

"Jihoon snuck him a box of pumpkin pasties," Seongwoo recounts, miserable. "Jinyoung doesn't even like pumpkin pasties! They're _my_ favorite. And Jihoon's been sticking to him like glue!"

"Maybe Jihoon just missed his best friend," Daniel suggests peaceably. "You two have been spending a lot of free time together ever since you started dating."

Seongwoo pouts. "I suppose so, but... this is all just so out of character for Jihoonie. He's never been so clingy to his friends."

"There's a first time for everything," Jisung says soothingly. "And something might have happened, besides. You never know, Seongwoo. Don't dwell on it."

"Yeah, I guess," Seongwoo pouts. "Maybe he's just in a mood. I'll try again tomorrow."

"Attaboy." Daniel claps him on the back in consolation.

He sneaks one last look at Jihoon as the four of them make to leave, but the younger doesn't even do so much as turn. Seongwoo sighs and drowns himself in Jisung's chatter to distract himself from the growing pit in his stomach.

* * *

Thursday morning is sunny, with birds chirping outside Seongwoo and Daniel's room. Seongwoo even wakes up before his alarm -- he almost wilts at the sight of it, remembering that Jihoon had gifted him the fascinating Muggle contraption, but he slaps himself and rolls out of bed to stare at his bathroom mirror.

"Get your shit together," he murmurs, pointing at his reflection.

"You go, girl," the bathroom mirror replies. Seongwoo nods, reassured, and steps into the shower.

He's feeling much more optimistic after a nice, long bath and another bathroom mirror pep talk, so of course, his hopes are crushed into Floo Powder the moment he steps into the Great Hall.

Over at the Slytherin table, Jihoon is blinking up at Jinyoung, eyes wide and smile irresistibly charming. A few Slytherins are craning their necks to stare at Jihoon and -- Merlin's beard, is Jihoon using his _Veela charm_?

Seongwoo's bread stick meets its untimely demise in his fist. Out of the corner of his eye he catches Daniel staring at Jihoon as well. Seongwoo promptly whacks him on his stupid golden head with a baguette.

"Wha?" Daniel blinks, disoriented.

"I would appreciate it if you did not stare at my boyfriend like a piece of meat, thank you very much." Seongwoo was sure his ears had to be spewing smoke by now.

"I can't help it," Daniel coos. "He's so pretty." He receives a second baguette beating for that comment. " _Ow!_ What was that for?"

"You're under his Veela enchantment, you blithering idiot!" Seongwoo exclaims. "He's using his Veela side to charm Jinyoung, oh Gryffindor's gobstones, this is the worst day of my life."

"Thank Godric Gryffindor, then," Sungwoon quips, sliding into the seat across Seongwoo. Jisung follows with a shake of his head. "Why is this the worst day of your life, again?"

"Look at Jihoon," Daniel suggests, just as Seongwoo orders "Just don't look at Jihoon." Sungwoon and Jisung both swivel around in their seats to take a look and don't turn back around until Seongwoo passionately launches two Danishes at their heads.

"I'm not sure the house elves would appreciate you using their hard work as weapons," Daniel observes.

"Next time, it'll be _A History of Magic_ ," Seongwoo threatens. "I can't believe you, all of you. This is betrayal."

"We can't really help it, you know," Jisung says sheepishly. Sungwoon doesn't answer, cheeks a bright red. Seongwoo makes sure to glare at him extra hard. "Veela magic is very powerful, especially on men."

Seongwoo hazards another look at Jihoon. Just as he suspected, Jinyoung is staring right back at him, enthralled, as he replies absently to whatever Jihoon is telling him.

"That's exactly why Jihoon never uses it," Seongwoo sighs. "He'd never know who likes him for him or who likes him because of his magic. Which is why I ask: why the _fuck_ is he using it right now?"

Daniel worries at his lip. "Maybe he's trying to get back at you? Make you jealous?"

"For what?" Seongwoo moans. "I told you I didn't do anything. And Jihoon's not that petty."

"A prank?" Sungwoon suggests, even though he winces after he says it.

Seongwoo shoves a Danish that was spared the projectile treatment into his mouth. "Well it's a very cruel prank."

"Why don't you just ask Jihoon himself?" Jisung suggests, ever the pacifist. "I'm sure he'll give you a straight answer if you do."

"I know my opinion does not hold any weight with you at all, but I agree," Daniel quips. "Jihoon using Veela magic on Jinyoung is very not cool. You should talk to him about it."

Seongwoo nods and continues chewing on his Danish. "I guess you're right."

What he doesn't say is that he's afraid of facing Jihoon and whatever his answer will be. All this strange behavior only points to one thing: he isn't interested in Seongwoo anymore, and Seongwoo doesn't want to hear that from Jihoon. Not yet.

The only logical conclusion, apart from talking to Jihoon himself and potentially getting his heart demolished, is asking Jihoon's friends.

His mission, however, has one fatal flaw -- Jihoon is a very private person. Seongwoo is pretty sure that Jihoon's circle of close friends is comprised of a very short list of four people: Woojin Park, Jinyoung Bae, and Ravenclaws Daehwi Lee and Guanlin Lai, who aren't likely to know anything about the subject at hand on account of their being a year younger than Jihoon and drowning in OWLs.

Jinyoung isn't an option, either, seeing as Seongwoo is embarrassingly terrified of him; the younger boy gives him the heebie-jeebies, what with his stoically straight face and chilly demeanor towards anyone except his best friend. Not to mention Seongwoo's growing resentment at the boy, even though he's sure that the younger didn't mean for Jihoon to have this sudden fixation on him.

This leaves Seongwoo with one last choice: he interrogates Woojin at lunch, but even the younger Gryffindor is at a loss.

"Sorry, Seongwoo," Woojin had shrugged. "Haven't seen him this entire week. I've been catching up on potions. Professor Slughorn will kill me if I blow up another cauldron."

Sufficiently cornered, Seongwoo has no choice but to talk to Jihoon himself and face the inevitable horror of confrontation. He waits outside the Slytherin dungeons and very nearly crumbles under Jinyoung Bae's weighty stare, but he manages to catch Jihoon's arm.

"Hey, Jihoon?" Seongwoo says, uncertainty bleeding into his voice. "Can we talk?"

Thankfully, Jihoon looks more puzzled than annoyed, and Seongwoo can feel his tight throat close up a little less. "Sure," Jihoon shrugs, nodding at Jinyoung to go ahead. "What's up, Seongwoo?"

"It's just that..." Seongwoo trails off, fiddling with his robes. "You've been really cold lately. If it's something I did, or said, you know you can tell me, right? We can talk it out."

Jihoon frowns, and Seongwoo's heart drops. "I don't understand what you're talking about."

Seongwoo's apprehension bleeds into frustration. "Really, Jihoon? Are you really pulling this card on me?" he accuses, voice sharp. "Just tell it to me straight. Break up with me already."

"Break up with you?" Jihoon crosses his arms, equally upset. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Because you like Jinyoung!" Seongwoo returns.

"I do like Jinyoung," Jihoon answers. Seongwoo's heart grows leaden in his chest. "But breaking up with you? I really don't know what the hell you mean."

Jihoon makes to leave, but Seongwoo grabs at his arm again. "You don't get to walk away from this!"

The younger wrenches his arm away from Seongwoo, scowling up at him as though he were the one that was being ridiculous. "God, just stop bothering me!"

Jihoon murmurs the password at the wall and, with one last dirty look at Seongwoo, vanishes into the Slytherin common room.

* * *

Seongwoo collapses onto his bed after dinner, an unusually docile Daniel following behind him

"Did you talk to Jihoon?" Daniel questions hesitantly. Seongwoo grunts into his pillow in answer. "How'd it go?"

Seongwoo turns his head to face Daniel. "He said he liked Jinyoung."

Daniel winces, reaching over to pat the air closest to Seongwoo since he can't be bothered to get out of bed. "I'm sorry, mate."

"He acted like we weren't even together. I was really looking forward to Christmas..." he continues, voice growing quieter by the second.

Even Daniel has nothing to answer to that. "Go to sleep, Seongwoo," he says softly. "You'll feel better tomorrow."

Seongwoo is certain that no amount of sleep will do him good, but he nods anyway and pushes his face into his pillows, drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

He manages to slog through Friday with minimal damage, apart from one thing: gossip spreads quickly through Hogwarts, and he's met with pitying stares at meals and class alike. The cherry on top of the proverbial pudding, however, is his ex-boyfriend and Potions partner, Minhyun Hwang, offering his consolation after an awkward stretch of silence following the addition of sopophorous beans and wormwood to their Elixir to Induce Euphoria.

"Sorry about Jihoon, by the way," Minhyun says sympathetically as Seongwoo stirs their concoction six times anti-clockwise.

Seongwoo barely grits out a "thanks" and tries to ignore Sungwoon choking behind him. The traitorous potion turns sunshine yellow and emits a rainbow, signaling its completion.

"Wonderful, Mr. Hwang, Mr. Ong," Professor Slughorn compliments, waddling over to their table. "Perfect, just perfect. As expected from my star students. I daresay you need the euphoria, eh, Ong?" he grins, nudging a mortified Seongwoo. Sungwoon erupts into a fully-fledged coughing fit.

The rest of the weekend is spent in a stupor. Daniel, Jisung, and Sungwoon try their best to cheer him up, bless their little hearts, but no amount of Christmas food or paraphernalia is enough to distract him from the gaping hole in his chest. Seongwoo locks himself up in Gryffindor Tower like a heartbroken Muggle Rapunzel and throws himself into studying for NEWTs, cleaning his room, or playing wizard chess with Daniel. The only times he goes out are for meals and his scheduled study groups with his other classmates.

Even in study group, Seongwoo zones out so much that even Jaehwan Kim, his Hufflepuff study buddy who's more often than not high on gillyweed, notices and waves a hand in front of Seongwoo's eyes to catch his attention. "Mate, I've been reciting the alphabet for the past minute."

"Sorry, sorry," Seongwoo sighs, spreading his pitifully empty piece of parchment in front of him. "Where were we again?"

"What's up with you?" Jaehwan inquires, completely ignoring his question. "By this time, you're usually powering through homework so you can sooner spread Yuletide cheer or whatever the fuck."

Seongwoo doesn't even have the heart to be offended and carefully drops his forehead onto the tome open before him so he doesn't get scolded by Madam Pince. "I don't know man, I guess I'm just... not in the mood."

"For _Christmas_?" Jaehwan stage whispers. His exclamation is met with a stern "shh!" from the next table over. "Who _are_ you?"

Seongwoo slumps into his chair. "It's just... relationship problems."

"So this is about Jihoon Park, eh?" Jaehwan says sagely. "Veela. Always out there breaking hearts."

"Hear, hear," Seongwoo concurs, scrubbing a hand over his face. "I'll tell you about it next time."

To his credit, Jaehwan nods, and they spend the rest of the early afternoon in companionable silence. Seongwoo bids Jaehwan goodbye at around three, parchment filled with useful Herbology notes and pointers from the Hufflepuff, only to find none other than Jinyoung Bae outside the library.

"Seongwoo Ong," he calls, pushing himself off from the wall he was leaning on.

Seongwoo's eyes narrow at Jinyoung's approaching figure. "What do you want?" Seongwoo spits out, bitter.

To his utter shock and offense, Jinyoung rolls his eyes. Actually has the audacity to do it in front Seongwoo, without trying to hide it. "I want to talk to you about Jihoon."

"What about?" Seongwoo sighs, adjusting the strap of his bookbag. "He's made it abundantly clear he wants nothing to do with me anymore. You don't need to tell me that."

"Oh, come off it," Jinyoung scoffs. "I'm not interested in him at all."

"What?" Seongwoo shoots back. "Why are you here, then?"

"Because Jihoon told me he liked me yesterday evening," Jinyoung answers.

"Alright, no need to rub it in."

"Don't you get it, you dense idiot?" Jinyoung says, frustrated. He inhales deeply before he continues. "I think he's under the influence of a love potion."

It's Seongwoo's turn to roll his eyes. "Okay, this is just cruel and one of the worst excuses ever."

"It all lines up," Jinyoung continues. "He ignores you out of the blue, he doesn't remember you're dating, he's being weirdly clingy to me and using Veela magic -- it's the only logical conclusion."

Seongwoo frowns. Before he can answer, Woojin rounds the corner, out of breath from running. "Seongwoo, Jinyoung!" he pants, folding over with his hands on his knees. "Jihoon's fainted!"

" _What_?" the two of them exclaim, giving each other an incredulous look as they realize that they were in sync. "Where is he?" Seongwoo continues.

"Hospital wing," Woojin gasps. "Madame Pomfrey's got him in order. You should probably still check on him, though."

"Thanks, Woojin," Jinyoung offers, and with that, they make a mad dash for the hospital wing.

They find Jihoon fast asleep on a cot, the only other occupant being a Ravenclaw getting treated for a migraine. Seongwoo steamrolls over to where Madame Pomfrey is studiously reviewing her patient notes. "What happened to him?" Seongwoo huffs, Jinyoung following behind him and looking annoyingly composed.

Madame Pomfrey shakes her head. "I'm not certain. I suspect he's been poisoned, but there are no traces of toxins in his body. Would you boys happen to know what he's been eating this past week?"

Seongwoo and Jinyoung share a look. "We think he's been given a love potion," Jinyoung suggests. "Although I'm not sure how that would have made him faint."

"A love potion..." Madame Pomfrey murmurs. "That might explain it. He must have had an averse reaction -- this can happen when you've already fallen in love with someone else other than the intended target of affection."

Jinyoung gives Seongwoo a look that screams I told you so. "That explains his strange behavior, then," Jinyoung finishes. "He's been acting weird since Tuesday."

"Will he be okay?" Seongwoo blurts out.

"Mr. Park will have to stay overnight so I can monitor his vital signs," Madame Pomfrey replies, "seeing as he's been under the influence of the potion for almost a week now. But I'm certain he will recover."

Seongwoo all but slumps against Jinyoung, the leaden weight in his chest lifting itself off. "Thank you, Madame Pomfrey."

Jinyoung pushes him into a chair when Madame Pomfrey leaves, pulling one up for himself as well. The two of them watch over Jihoon breathing steadily under the covers. He looks so pale, so vulnerable -- Seongwoo absolutely hates it. He lets out a shaky breath.

"Are you crying, mate?" Jinyoung says incredulously.

"How could I not?" Seongwoo blubbers. "I've been doubting him all this time but all poor Jihoonie's ever done is drink a love potion out of his own will."

Jinyoung pats an awkward hand over Seongwoo's back. "Madame Pomfrey said it herself," Jinyoung says soothingly. "Jihoon is in love with someone else. No need to be insecure."

"S-someone else?" Seongwoo sniffs.

Jinyoung lets out a long-suffering groan. "It's _you_ , you bloody idiot. Merlin and Morgana. I don't know what he sees in you, honestly."

Seongwoo's eyes land on Jihoon again. His breathing is peaceful, rhythmic. Wholly untroubled. "Is he really in love with me?"

"Jihoon won't shut up about you," Jinyoung replies, dead serious. "All I've been hearing for the past week are your plans for the hols. He's really excited to spend Christmas with you, you know."

Seongwoo smiles. "I am, too." He bites his lip, unsure and a little bit scared, before continuing. "I'm sorry that I was mad at you, earlier. I was just really scared that Jihoon would --"

"It's fine, you couldn't have known." Jinyoung waves a flippant hand. "Thank you for taking care of Jihoon, by the way."

"But I've been useless this entire time!" Seongwoo sputters.

"That may be true," Jinyoung says thoughtfully. Seongwoo doesn't even have the heart to be offended. "But I meant in general." There's a tentative pause before Jinyoung continues, as though he's unsure whether to share his thoughts with Seongwoo or not, but he goes on. "He's always been quiet, you know? It's always been just the two of us. That's fine with me and all, but I always thought Jihoon was still lonely."

Jinyoung gently takes one of Jihoon's pale hands in his. "Eventually, though, Jihoon opened up," he continues. "Made new friends, started talking more. And I have you to thank for that."

Then the most astonishing moment of this whole weird experience occurs: Jinyoung Bae smiles at him. Honest to Potter _smiles_ at him, like he's glad Seongwoo exists. Seongwoo blinks a few times, thinking it must be a mirage, a trick, but Jinyoung is still smiling.

Seongwoo stupidly blurts out the first thing that comes to his mind. "You don't hate me?"

"'Course not." Just when it couldn't get any weirder, Jinyoung _laughs_. "Don't get me wrong, I don't like you, either. But I'm willing to tolerate you for Jihoon's sake."

"That's more than I ever could have expected from you," Seongwoo says honestly.

They both stay at the Hospital Wing until Madame Pomfrey shoos them out at sundown, babbling about growing boys who need to eat three full meals a day. Seongwoo doesn't miss her cooing when he brushes Jihoon's hair up to kiss him on his forehead. Jinyoung simply gives Jihoon's hand another pat, and they leave for the Great Hall.

Dinner is already well underway when the two of them arrive, tables teeming with students chattering over their dinner and coursework. Jinyoung parts with Seongwoo once they enter, giving him a solid clap on the back as he heads to the Slytherin table. Seongwoo nearly chokes from the force of it but the gesture is appreciated nonetheless.

He slides into his usual seat with his friends. "Lovely evening, boys."

"Did I just see you walking into the Great Hall... with Jinyoung Bae?" Jisung questions, eyes wide.

Seongwoo nods, piling chicken onto his plate. "We were at the Hospital Wing with Jihoon." He then proceeds to explain the details of the entire thing, Jihoon fainting and Jinyoung's admission of reluctant acceptance included. "We're basically best friends now," Seongwoo concludes.

"I can't believe someone would give Jihoon a love potion," Daniel mutters.

"I can't believe you're so calm about all this, Seongwoo," Sungwoon quips.

Seongwoo smiles thinly. "Don't worry, I've been mentally compiling a list of all the hexes I can use on whoever's done this," he reassures, buttering up a piece of toast.

Sungwoon nods. "Respect."

Jisung sardonically raises his goblet full of pumpkin juice. "Happy Christmas."

* * *

Jihoon wakes up the next day, and Seongwoo almost cries again from relief.

For the first time this December, Seongwoo actually feels like it's Christmas. No weirdly inattentive potion-laden boyfriend to worry about, just the usual load of schoolwork and exchanging owls with his and Jihoon's parents in anticipation of Jihoon's visit. They both leave the poisoning out of their letters, of course. Seongwoo is fairly sure his father would sue Hogwarts if he ever knew.

They never do figure out who gave Jihoon the potion. Nobody fesses up, probably because no one wants to face the wrath of Jinyoung Bae and Seongwoo Ong, combined. Jihoon is simply dismissive of the entire matter, as though he were given mind-altering love potions every week.

Veela. Always used to men falling at their feet.

"But love potions aren't even allowed at Hogwarts!" Seongwoo protests one day, when they're slipping and sliding on the frozen over Great Lake.

Jihoon rolls his eyes, tugging Seongwoo to a more secluded area of the makeshift skating rink. He's doesn't mind being given a love potion, it seems, but he hates being the center of attention. Already, a few gossipy students have turned their eyes onto the two of them; to Jihoon's dismay, the potion poisoning was very big news. "Even so, I don't want them to get expelled," Jihoon explains patiently. "We're young, we're bound to make rash decisions."

"And how will that compensate for the emotional damage I've suffered through this ordeal?" Seongwoo huffs, crossing his arms.

Jihoon smiles salaciously. "I have a few ideas."

On the last weekend before vacation, they visit every Hogsmeade shop they know, and their remaining free time is spent studying and revising because Jihoon doesn't remember a good chunk of the week he drank the potion. During study breaks, however, Jihoon clings onto Seongwoo nonstop. Who is he to complain, honestly, when his adorable boyfriend is cuddling up to him in an ugly emerald green Christmas sweater? Seongwoo never could resist those big brown eyes, no Veela magic needed.

The semester ends with a house party for the older students, courtesy of the prefects who wisely decide to suspend their point deduction privileges for the night. Fifth, sixth, and seventh year students gather after dark in the Ravenclaw common room, partly because it's spacious enough and mostly because the students there have the greatest grasp of concealment charms. Someone manages to sneak in alcoholic contraband, and within an hour, everyone is piss-drunk and singing along to "A Cauldron Full of Loving". Seongwoo doesn't even pretend to be ashamed when Daniel catches him snogging the life out of Jihoon behind Rowena Ravenclaw's statue.

Finally, break arrives, and with it comes the Hogwarts Express, glistening with freshly fallen snow. Seongwoo waits for his boyfriend in the courtyard, fiddling idly with his trunk, until Jihoon comes out from the depths of the dungeons bundled into a coat, gloves, and a floppy knit hat, nose and cheeks pink from the cold. Seongwoo practically melts into a puddle.

"You ready to go?" Seongwoo asks, and Jihoon nods his agreement.

They load their stuff onto the train and settle into an empty car, Seongwoo taking out a game of Exploding Snap from his trunk before they sit. Jihoon loses all three games, seemingly distracted, before Seongwoo speaks up.

"You okay, Jihoonie?" he asks gently. "Not getting cold feet, are we?"

"No, not at all!" Jihoon exclaims, holding out his hands in a clear gesture of rebuttal. "Just a bit jittery."

Seongwoo smiles. "About what?"

"I guess it just sunk in that I'm meeting your family," Jihoon laughs, a nervous lilt to his voice. "Didn't you say you had a _manor_? I've never been in a pureblood household before."

"Don't you worry your pretty little head. We're not _those_ kinds of purebloods." Seongwoo plants a soft kiss on Jihoon's hair. "They'll love you, Jihoonie. Promise."

Jihoon smiles back. "I'll take your word for it, then."

They stare at each other like the lovesick idiots that they are until Seongwoo remembers the little weight that's been pressing against his chest since this morning. "Oh, here's your Christmas gift, by the way," Seongwoo says, taking out a small, rectangular package wrapped in decorative parchment. "I didn't want to give it to you at the house. Too many people watching. I don't want old Aunt Bongki breathing down your neck."

"I feel bad now," Jihoon quips. "I ordered a pocket Sneakoscope from Bulgaria -- because, you know, Durmstrang graduates are the best at making those -- and it probably won't arrive til January."

"Couldn't have asked for anything else, to be honest," Seongwoo grins. "Need to know when Daniel is planning to get back at me for pranking him."

Jihoon grins, accepts the package and carefully peels it open. "A mirror?" he questions.

"A two-way mirror," Seongwoo corrects. "I have the other one. We're spending vacation together this year, but I just thought... when I graduate, we can talk through the mirrors if we miss each other."

Jihoon lunges at Seongwoo at gives him a great, big, sloppy kiss. "This is so sweet and adorable and thoughtful. You're the best, seriously. Thank you."

Seongwoo smiles bashfully. "Was just trying to make you happy."

Jihoon attacks him with more kisses until Seongwoo is gasping for air.

 

***

 

"I'm an idiot," Guanlin mutters, slumping against the Charms section. Daehwi is staring blankly at him, leaning up on the opposite bookshelf.

"I can't believe you gave Jihoon that love potion," Daehwi tuts disapprovingly.

"It was a dare!" Guanlin wails. Daehwi uncaringly flips a page on _The Standard Book of Spells Year 5_. "I am gonna kill Seonho Yoo."

"Not if Seongwoo Ong kills you first," Daehwi says sagely.

Guanlin blanches. "Please, Merlin, no," he mutters. "I've seen his Tickling Hex in action. I don't want to be on the receiving end of that."

"It'll be our little secret," Daehwi promises, hiding a smile behind his book.

Jihoon would be in for _such_ a surprise when he comes back from Christmas vacation.

**Author's Note:**

> spare comments? spare comments, ma'am?
> 
> (thank you so much for reading!)


End file.
